Sorry, I missed it!

Yesterday, my niece, Alexandria, turned 11. She is about 8 months younger than Bridget, but the 2 of them look like they could be sisters. This morning, her mother, Andrea, sent me her birthday picture with her new American Girl doll. I had trouble copying it, so I used the one above of the two American Girl Cousins.

Happy Birthday, Allie!!!

Fun Book Game

Meaghan blogged about this and it looked like fun so here it goes:

The rules are:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next four sentences on your blog (or here in the comments if you don't have a blog), along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that “cool” or “intellectual” book in your closet. I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest!

Here's a glimpse of my exciting surroundings:
Every function has a prototype property that refers to a predefined prototype object. This prototype object comes in to play when the function is used as a constructor with the new operator; it has a very important role to play in the process of defining new object types. We'll explore this property in detail in Chapter 8. By adding your own properties to a function object, you can simulate C-style static variables.

Eat This Book, Part 3

Last evening, we concluded our group discussion of Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson. This section of the book is called "The Company of Translators," and in it , he talks about how and why he translated the Bible into The Message. He gives an interesting overview of the history of translation and describes how archeological discoveries at Oxyrhynhus in Egypt and Ugarit in Syria infused fresh blood into Bible translation. He says at the end,

"I am very conscious that I am in the vast company of translators - teachers in classrooms, pastors in pulpits, parents around the supper table, writers in languages all over the world, baptised Christians in workplaces and social gatherings past imagining - all of us at this same work, collaborating in translating the word of God, reading and then living this text, and then getting these Scriptures into whatever language is spoken on the street on which we live."

This book gave me an even greater appreciation of The Message and a better understanding of why I like it so much.

A Photo Essay on Edward Solving the World's Problems

String Quartet

The Cello Player

Last night, Edward performed in the South Christian Variety Show in a string quartet with some friends. Groups of students performed acts to raise money for Christmas gifts and baskets. Some of the acts were very funny; Ed's group performed Pachelbel's Canon in D and it was so, so beautiful.



He had to play a little bit of Living Room Basketball before he left, or LBA as he refers to it.

Bordering on Animal Cruelty?

I wouldn't go as far as calling it cruelty, but the other day when Leo wanted in, I had to go get my camera first.

Bridgie's First Middle School Orchestra Concert

Bridget warming up and quite happy to see her family in the front row


Bridget playing "Andover Holiday" with the 6th grade orchestra


Bridget singing "Wings" with the sixth grade choir

10,000 Steps

Yesterday, I met my friend Ruth for a walk through the neighborhood. I always walk in the afternoons and she told me she would like to go with me some Wednesday afternoon. So we met somewhere between our houses and her pedometer was already at 6795 steps for the day because it was 1:30 pm.

6,795 so far

Do you remember a few years ago the big thing was that to get your proper exercise in for the day, you should walk at least 10,000 steps?

When we were walking, Ruth spotted this ahead and said, "That better not be a dead animal,"

and the good news is that, no it was just 2 chunks of ice, otherwise I wouldn't have posted it here because as we also discussed, this blog is all sweetness and light.

At the end of our walk, she was at 10,230 steps for a grand total of 3,435 on our walk. So good job Ruth... way to get those steps in for the day!

So Ruth gave me these verses to think about when we are stepping about:
Job 14:16 "Surely then you will count my steps."
Proverbs 14:15 "A prudent man gives thoughts to his steps."

My Favourite Christmas Songs.

So I got cyber-tagged by my friend in Malaysia and I have to blog about my favourite (that's what she called them to all you American's reading this- it's the proper English spelling of favorite :)) Christmas Music.

I must admit that I haven't listened to much yet this year, but I did go to hear Handel's Messiah and how can that NOT be a favourite? It was a good thing to sit there for 2-1/2 hours and meditate on the verses that foretell the Messiah's birth, tell about His sacrifice, and celebrate His victory over death.

So now I'll tag Bobbie, Gracie, & Air Force Fun. You guys can do it! I can't wait to hear your favourites!


For today's photo, we have a picture I took a couple of years ago of my sister's kitty Zoe who likes to sit IN Christmas trees as opposed to under them.

Snow

Sunday, the snow began to come down thick and it is supposed to snow like this all week. It is so quiet and peaceful coming down, now stop me before I go on and on about the snowflakes like I did with the leaves. It is pretty though and I love photo ops.

The girls went sledding and they tried to include Leo, but he got all weird about it and ran away.

Tree

A few years ago, we dropped our annual tradition of going out to chop down a Christmas tree and replaced it with an artificial tree. We had another tradition where one of our kids would put the star on the tree on a rotating basis. This year was the end of that tradition as we see them in the picture above trying to get Leo to do it.



When Leo did not cooperate, Edward & Bridget had their own ceremony complete with "loo loo loo loo loo loo loo loo" to the tune of Hark, the Herald Angels Sing taken from A Charlie Brown Christmas.



Leo was happy when it was done since he loves to perch himself under the tree. Even with a bow on his head he thinks he is the master of everything.

Messiah

Last night, John & I went downtown to hear Handel's Messiah by the Calvin Oratorio Society. I don't think we had been to it since the kids were born and I had forgotten what a great time this is listening to the 140 person choir, the 4 soloists and the orchestra. I was thinking that Mom & Dad should have been there, oh, and all the people I know, and a few angels. Then that would be like heaven.

So now Advent and the Christmas season has officially begun.

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor
The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Tis the Season

Today, the girls & I started our Christmas shopping. We were focusing on the girl cousins and had a fun morning together!

Snow Day & Friday All at the Same Time

December 1. The snow is here and school was cancelled already today. The kids were thrilled!



Edward, Maria & Bridget lying on the couches and looking at the news when they normally would be getting ready for school.